


Falling Star

by our_winter



Category: Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: A little angst, F/F, Fluff, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-11
Updated: 2016-04-11
Packaged: 2018-06-01 13:27:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6521671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/our_winter/pseuds/our_winter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“What happened to your face?”</p><p>She was so lost into herself that she didn’t see Manon approaching, her head snapping up to look at the silver haired girl, eyes wide.</p><p>“I-I fell.”</p><p>Her voice barely a raspy whisper. That eyes that looked like embers narrowed at her and fell to the marks on her neck, she ducked her head but not before seeing all The Thirteen looking suspiciously at her. Shame colored her cheeks. Manon didn’t say anything for some moments before she turned and said looking over her shoulder.</p><p>“Careful, next time you could die.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Falling Star

**Author's Note:**

> Sooooo, I just finished Queen of Shadows and CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT THESE TWO. Man, I'm so in love with them! I really hope that Malide is endgame because if don't I have no idea what I'm going to do with my life.
> 
> Just for you all to know, I'm not a native English and I haven't wrote anything in a looooong time. I'm really sorry for any mistakes and if this is terrible. Thanks for reading anyway (:

Elide looked up as the door of the coffee shop opened and The Thirteen came in. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of them. Even if Elide saw them everyday she would never get used to how beautiful they all were, a whirling of life and flashing teeth and danger. One by one they came to the counter lead by Manon. Just her name sent a shiver running down Elide’s spine. Manon was like a falling star, full of light and darkness, her golden eyes shining like embers, her hair was like moonshine, full lips always painted red. Elide had never saw her smiling, not aside of her usual grin that was a promise of pain if you crossed her path. Kaltain would usually take their other while Elide made them, but she couldn’t come today, so the brunet took a breath and tried to make herself smaller as she stuttered.

“Go-Good night. What…”

“A black coffee.”

Manon cut her and walked to sit in one of the tables, Asterin came after her and gave Elide a smile, she just lowered her head and wrote their order. She really didn’t need to, every night they came here and drank the same thing, Elide knew their drinks by heart by now.

Everybody knew who The Thirteen were. They were beautiful and powerful and family. You never saw one of them alone, you don’t threaten one of them unless you want to lose your teeth or have your bones broken. More than once Elide caught herself looking dreamily at them, not because she was jealous but because she wanted what they had. She just wanted someone to have her back.

She finished their drinks and limped to the table. It was like they took all the place with their chatting and wild smiles, Manon’s eyes followed her the entire time and she wished her leg wasn’t broken beyond repair, wished she wouldn’t have to see the pity on other people eyes, but not Manon’s, the girl studied her with practiced disinterest, like Elide was the most uninteresting thing on the world. She probably was. Quietly she limped back to the counter still feeling those golden eyes at her back.

 

 

***

 

 

The next day Manon came not at their usual time and with a split lip and bruised knuckles, the lip was almost completely hidden by her red lipstick but Elide was always a good observer. Kaltain took their order but Elide was already making it. With blood roaring at her ears she limped at their table with their drinks and an ice pack that she put next to Manon’s drink, the chatting stopped completely and she wished her leg wasn’t so useless so she could run back to the counter.

“What is this?”

Her voice was like steel and yet Elide would do anything to keep hearing it.

“I-It’s for…” She took a deep breath. “It’s for your lip.”

“I didn’t ask for this.”

Elide couldn’t look at her, she had no idea what to say and was saved when the door opened and she had to limp back to the counter. Again she could feel those golden eyes upon her back the entire time.

 

 

***

 

 

“You little useless thing.”

Vernon pushed her against the wall, his big hand closing around her throat, the air was chocked out of her as he slammed her back against the wall again.

“I told you I wanted this house clean when I came back. I TOLD YOU!”

She didn’t see his hand coming until it was already hitting her cheek. Pain flared through her face. Everything hurt, her entire body hurt. She barely could keep standing before spending most of the afternoon and the night on her feet at the coffee shop and walking all the way to school this morning, and she tried to clean the house before her uncle came back but she walked inside one second before he did. He was so much bigger than her. Her small, delicate hands could barely close around his as she tried to push him away.

“Please, uncle. I just arrived. I…”

He threw her to the ground and kicked her ribs.

“I DON’T CARE!” He roared and she curled on the ground. “I want this house clean by morning.”

He kicked her one more time before disappearing up the stairs.

 

 

***

 

 

It hurt to breath, her cheek was swollen, her throat burn. The walk to school and after to the café was brutal and her legs wobbled, she was up only on sheer will. Her hands shook as she made a drink, she could feel Kaltain’s eyes on her back. It wasn’t the first time it happened and probably it wouldn't be the last, it wasn’t even the worst beating he’d even given her, but she spent most of the night up cleaning and then every time she closed her eyes the image of her leg being broken again and again flashed behind her eyelids. No one ever said anything. After her parents died and her uncle had her custody and her money, it was the same thing as being alone, he would always come up with some excuse when the teachers asked about the bruises on her and after he broke her leg it was much more easy to say that she slipped. No one ever said anything.

The door opened again and Elide kept her eyes lowered to the ground as The Thirteen walked in, Kaltain stepped in to take their order but they were quiet, she could feel the eyes on her back and her shoulders dropped even more, trying to make herself smaller. No one talked to her and she didn’t know if it made her happy or sadder.

Kaltain took their order to their table since it was more like Elide would drop everything with two steps. She slumped on her stool and quietly studied her hands. They were pale and small, her fingernails delicate half moons, the skin covered in small silvery scars. She run a fingertip slowly through the back of her hand trying to remember the last time someone touched her, someone that wasn’t her uncle or herself. She tried to remember what it was like to feel the warm, comforting touch of her mother, what it was like to hug her father. There were only blurry memories but the _feeling_ was lost in the years of its absence.

“What happened to your face?”

She was so lost into herself that she didn’t see Manon approaching, her head snapping up to look at the silver haired girl, eyes wide.

“I-I fell.”

Her voice barely a raspy whisper. That eyes that looked like embers narrowed at her and fell to the marks on her neck, she ducked her head but not before seeing all The Thirteen looking suspiciously at her. Shame colored her cheeks. Manon didn’t say anything for some moments before she turned and said looking over her shoulder.

“Careful, next time you could die.”

Sometimes she wished she could.

 

 

***

 

 

It’s been almost a week since Vernon had beaten her and the bruises were almost gone. Today was Sunday. And like every Sunday her uncle would go out and let her locked in the house. She took her secret key and a book and limped to the park two blocks down.

The day was beautiful, the sun shining and the sky a deep shade of blue, a gentle breeze touched her face as she set under the shadow of a tree, Elide leaned against the trunk and started to read. She loved Sundays, it was always quiet and Vernon would stay out gambling till late at night, she could just breathe. Alone. She would always spend the day alone at the park or the house. There was no one that she would like to stay with her. Elide had been a quiet and timid child her whole life, and when her parents died she spent almost a year without saying a word, she started to talk again one night when Vernon lashed out on her for the first time and she pleaded him to stop. Since then she kept to herself, it was easier this way, the other children usually get a look to her bruised body and kept a distance. She told herself that things were better this way, that it was better if no one was involved on her life, no one would worry about her, she belonged to no one and no one belonged to her.

There was a bark and Elide yelped trying to scramble to her feet as a massive Rottweiler came rushing into her.

“Oh my God. Don’t eat me. Please, don’t eat me.”

The dog sniffed at her and licked her cheek, jumping happily around her.

“He’s not going to eat you. Let her go, you big ball of spit.”

He let go of her to lie on the ground beside her. His back was stripped with scars and she hesitated for a moment before running her fingers through the marred flesh, he closed his eyes and sighed, the corners of Elide’s mouth lifted in a small smile and when she looked up, Manon was studying her with her golden eyes, she lowered her gaze back to the dog.

“What’s his name?”

“Abraxos.”

Elide frowned and looked up at the taller girl.

“Interesting name.”

Manon lowered herself beside them and scratched the back of the dog’s head.

“It’s an old tale about an ancient serpent who held the world between his coils at the behest of the Three-Faced Goddess.”

 

Elide never thought that Manon would be the kind of person that knew about ancient tales.

 

“Tell me more about it.”

 

She said tentatively and to her surprise Manon did.

 

 

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

It became a thing before that day. Every Sunday Elide would slip out of the house after Vernon left and meet with Manon and Abraxos at the park.

 

Manon told her ancient tales about witches, wyverns, magic wielders and queens and kings and slave girls, about gods and goddess. She knew so much about so many things that sometimes Elide wanted to open her head and spy inside that beautiful mind of hers. She could never, not even on her wildest dreams imagine that one day she would smile at Manon and the silver haired girl would smile back, that small, secret smile that Elide liked to think that were entirely reserved to her. Manon talked to her at school and at the coffee shop and slowly the other Thirteen started to talk to her too, a tentative smile or a hello but this was more than most people have ever offered to her.

 

She was afraid that someday Manon would tire of her and vanish of her life. She belonged to no one. So she savored everyday as if it was the last. She went with Manon to one of her combat classes and couldn’t breathe for the entire class while Manon swirled with grace, like she was one of the ancient warriors of the tales she told Elide.

 

One precious day all the Thirteen took her for her first time to the movies and she couldn’t stop smiling the entire time till Manon threw a handful of popcorn at her and she let out a laugh that could be a sob.

 

Elide told Manon about her parents and that she loved the forests, even if she would never go because of her leg. The next Sunday Manon shoved her inside her jeep with some of the other Thirteen, the others were on Vesta’s and Ghislaine’s cars and they drove to the park just out of the city. Elide didn’t know what to say, everything was so _beautiful_ , the smell of the forest, the leaves, the dirt, the river, the birds singing. _Freedom._ The forest was free and wild and beautiful just like the girls around her. Asterin laid a giant blanket on the grass of a glade and they just sat and ate and laughed. Elide had never been so happy not even when she got back to the house and her uncle beat the live out of her. She still smiled as she put her head on the pillow and closed her eyes.

 

She tried to hide it from Manon, but it was hard when her lip was split and her eyes so swollen that they wouldn’t open. She saw the rage storming on her eyes, the gold flaring like living embers. To anyone who didn’t know her it would look like nothing was wrong, but Elide learned to read her face in the last months, she knew Manon as well as the back of her hands. The silver haired girl took a long breath and the smaller one saw she trying to calm herself.

 

“Elide.”

 

Her voice was tentative, almost as soft as when she talked with Abraxos and sometimes with Elide. Her knees buckled and she would do anything for that voice, anything to hear she saying her name again and again and again, but she wouldn’t drag Manon into this, she _couldn’t_ , she didn’t know what the ruthless girl would do and she couldn’t risk losing her, not when she was the only good thing on her life, not when she would count the hours till she could see her again, not when she… Elide took a sharp breath as the though crossed her mind like a falling star, a shining and blinding supernova that would burn her to ashes and dust.

 

“I fell again. You know how things are with my leg.”

 

She tried to offer Manon a smile but as she looked up and her eyes met the other girl’s Elide knew that Manon would never believe her. While Elide learned to read Manon, Manon learned to read Elide as well. As the silver haired girl opened her mouth to retort someone shouted from the door.

 

“Why is the queue so long? The cripple can’t do her job?”

 

Manon turned with a snarl and the other Thirteen with her.

 

“What did you just say?”

 

Elide’s blood ran cold at her voice. This was not Manon, not _her_ Manon, she hasn’t heard this tone ever. On the tips of her toes she peered above the heads in front of her to see who was at the door and if her blood was cold now it turned into ice as her eyes looked with Iskra’s and the other girl gave her a devious smile before turning her attention back to Manon.

 

“What? You want your little toy just for you, Manon? Don’t be so egoist, we can share the cripple even if she has just one leg, it’s what’s in the middle of them that’s if important. Have you tasted her yet, Manon? She looks like a sweet little thing, just like I like them. Sweet, innocen…”

 

She didn’t get to finish before Manon was at her throat, her long, black nails digging into the flesh of Iskra’s neck, the other girl tried to shake Manon out of her, but Elide had seen she fighting before. Manon was like a lightning storm: fast, vicious, beautiful and deadly. Iskra never had a chance. Manon tracked her to the ground and there was only the sound of flesh meeting flesh and their labored breathes. Finally Manon got up and kicked Iskra on the ribs, the other girl coughed blood, the crimson liquid flowing down her chin.

 

“If you say anything to her, if you even _look_ at her again. I will not stop the next time.”

 

Iskra’s companions dragged her out of the café and Manon turned to look at her again. Blood running down her cheeks and chin and her knuckles bloodied and torn. Elide limped out of the counter, the other customers were as silent as if death had landed inside the coffee shop, she just motioned for Manon to follow her and started walking without waiting to see if the other girl would follow, she knew she would. In the back of the shop she made Manon sit at a chair and started to clean the blood of her cheek with a washcloth. They were so close that she could feel the other girl’s breathe caressing her face, soft and warm. Elide’s heart was jumping and she was doing a good job at containing the trembling on her hands.

 

Manon had stand up for her. For the first time in her entire life someone had done it and she had no idea what to do about it. There was a strange warmth spreading on her chest and cheeks, and she had the strange impulse to laugh and let the bubble on her throat out.

 

“You didn’t need to do that.”

 

“Of course I did. She has no right to say that things to you.”

 

“What? That I’m a cripple? You can’t blame her for stating the obvious.”

 

“Elide.”

 

Her name again. In that same, soft way that made shivers run up and down her spine, her hands shook a little and she was certain that her entire face was red as a tomato. She turned, rinsed the cloth and started to clean Manon’s fingers carefully. The point where their fingers touched felt like living fire, was like a tread of flames running from her fingertips to her heart and her toes. She was burning and Manon was the fire and she just wanted to throw herself inside the fire and burn till she was nothing more than ashes and cinders. She wondered if Manon felt the same, if she was burning too, but a look up revealed nothing, the silver haired girl was looking calmly at her. Elide took the band-aids with small colored flowers and wrapped them around Manon’s knuckles, she couldn’t contain a small smile.

 

“Abraxos will like them.”

 

Manon gave her a small smile back.

 

“He will.” A beat. “You didn’t need to take care of me.”

 

“Yes, I did.”

 

“Has anyone even taken care of you?”

 

Her golden eyes locked with Elide’s. She wanted to run and she wanted to just stay here forever touching her. It didn’t slip the brunet’s mind that it was the first time she touched Manon, and it wasn't just a lingering brush of fingers. The silver haired girl raised her hand as if she were going to touch her split lip or her swollen eye, but then paused and lowered it back to her lap.

 

“About what she said.”

 

Manon said firmly. 

 

“I would never think about you that way.”

 

“Oh…” It felt like a vicious beast was ripping her heart apart, long, sharp claws eviscerating flesh and muscle, and for a moment she couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t remember how to send air into her lungs, pain flared inside her chest and it was worse than any of Vernon’s beatings, even worse than the day he broke her leg. It hurt so much that she thought her chest was crumbling into itself, it hurt to breathe, her lungs on fire. She clapped her hands together to keep them from shaking and took a steadying breath. “Thank you, for defending me. I should go before my uncle gets worried.”

 

She turned and walked away before Manon could say anything and she felt like a light inside of her had died.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

Elide felt broken. She still talked with The Thirteen but all of them sensed that something was wrong even if none of them asked what it was. Vernon took her sparing key so she couldn’t go out on Sundays anymore, she just saw Abraxos because Manon brought him to the coffee shop one day. The immense beast jumped on her and she would have gone to the ground if Manon haven’t held her by the elbow, she was fast to get away, the taller girl’s words ringing inside Elide’s head.

 

_I would never think of you that way._

 

 _Of course she wouldn’t! Who would? Who would want a little damaged something like her?_ The voice on her mind was horribly like Vernon’s. Elide coiled into herself and for a terrible moment she thought that Manon would say something, but then the silver haired girl looked away and Elide sat on the ground to caress Abraxos. He lay partially on her outstretched legs and nudged his cold snout against her cheek, like he knew something was wrong and wanted to fix it, she caressed his head before circling her arms around his neck and buried her face on his neck, she lowered her voice so just him could hear her whisper.

 

“You can’t fix me.”

 

 

***

 

 

 

“I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!”

 

Elide’s heart felt like it was going to jump out of her mouth, blood was ringing on her ears and she’d never been so terrorized in her entire life, although Vernon had done a good damn job of doing it for the past ten years.

 

“I’m sorry, uncle. I didn’t see it…”

 

She tried to explain but he just circled the table again trying to catch her. She was listening to some music while her uncle wasn’t home and hadn’t heard the storm coming, one of the windows on the first floor was open and now the floor was soaked. She just. She didn’t see it, and now he was going to kill her, or break her other leg or her entire body. She didn’t want him to hurt her, she didn’t want to die. Faster than she thought she could move, Elide darted to the door and was limping down the street a second later, icy rain soaking her bones, she could hear him shouting after her, shouting for her to come back. The brunet kept to the shadows as she limped and before she knew it she was knocking on a familiar door. She just came here a few times but this was the safest place she could think. The door opened to reveal Manon. Beautiful, stead, safe Manon. Elide didn’t think before she threw herself into her, the smaller girl buried her face just above Manon’s collarbone. She smelled like iron, the forest and storm. It took her a moment to realize that the silver haired girl wasn’t hugging her back and her whole body burned with shame. She took a step back like Manon was burning her, it was most like she was, her front was warm where it had touched the other girl’s skin.

 

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to. I don’t even know how I ended up here, I just wanted somewhere safe and this was the only place that I could think about, and you must be busy. I’m so, so sorry, Manon.”

 

She didn’t even take a step before Manon was grabbing her wrist and hauling her inside the house. Elide had no idea if the wetness on her face was because of the rain or her tears.

 

“We need to take your clothes off.”

 

Elide’s mind went blank, she just stared and stared to the beautiful girl in front of her like she was talking some alien language.

 

“I... What? Why?”

 

She finally managed to say when Abraxos came trotting from somewhere and pressed his snout against her hand. Manon took a deep breath, like she was talking with a child. Elide doubted Manon had talked to a child her entire life.

 

“Because it’s cold and you’re soaked to the bones and likely going to catch pneumonia, and you’re dripping all around my house.”

 

Shame burned Elide’s face again and she raced to the bathroom the moment Manon’s fingers slipped off of her arm. She locked the door and leaned against it. _How could she have been so foolish? So egoist?_ She promised herself that she would never drag Manon inside the mess that was her life. But she… She just wanted to go to somewhere safe and Manon was the safest place she could think, Manon was the only person that ever had stand up for her. Manon was safe and Manon was good, and Manon was the best thing that ever happened in her life and Elide loved her. She clamped a hand against her mouth. She forbid herself to think about it, she had swear to herself that she would never let that words slip out of the little box where she had locked them inside her heart. She had to get out before she dragged Manon inside of this and she wouldn’t do it. Steeling herself she opened the door slowly, trying to do as little noisy as possible but it was in vain. Manon was standing at the other side of the hall with a bundle of clothes on her arms.

 

“I need to go.”

 

“You’re not going anywhere. You will take a shower and then we will sit and talk about what the hell is happening.”

 

“Manon.”

 

Elide pleaded.

 

“Don’t start _Manon_ with, Elide. We are going to talk, even if I need to enter into this bathroom with you!”

 

At the thought of Manon seeing her naked, seeing her marred leg, her skinny body. Elide took the clothes from the taller girl’s arms and close the door behind her again.

 

It was hard to breathe as she took off her soaked clothes of and got inside the hot shower. Her muscles seemed to relax, her entire body sagging at the warm water rolling down her skin. She had no idea how to have this conversation with Manon, she had no idea what she would say. But she knew that the moment those golden eyes fell upon her she would be lost, she had never been good at lying at Manon, at anyone else yes, but not at her. She dried herself and pulled on the clothes Manon brought to her, the thought that they were Manon’s clothes, that she could smell the silver haired girl on them sent a shiver through her body.

 

Manon was seated on the couch with Abraxos partially on her lap and a mug of tea on the table waiting for her.

 

“Drink.”

 

Elide cringed. Manon was furious, she was so, so furious. And Elide was so, so dead. The brunet took a sip and it instantly warmed her core. The silver haired girl was quiet grazing at nothing in particular, Elide didn’t dare opening her mouth, not because she was afraid Manon was going to hit her, she would never do that, but because she too needed time to organize her thoughts.

 

“What happened? And don’t insult me trying to lie to me.”

 

The brunet kept quiet, she didn’t want to bring Manon inside of this but… But she was so tired of being alone, she didn’t want to be alone anymore, she wanted someone that cared about her, even if it was just as a friend, she would be Manon’s friend and shut her foolish heart. Elide lowered her eyes to the mug on her hands.

 

“He said he was going to kill me, and this time I believed him. He was really going to kill me.”

 

Just the memory of the rage in Vernon’s eyes, the pure hatred made tears run down her face. He’ll kill her when she goes back.

 

“You uncle?”

 

Manon waited till Elide nodded.

 

“It’s him who’d beat you all that times?”

 

Another nod. Shame. Shame. Shame. She was so ashamed of the things she’d let him do to her, all the things and now Manon knew. She must think that Elide was so pathetic. The brunet cringed  and she peered a tentative look at the silver haired girl. She didn’t need to look into Manon’s eyes to know that she was furious, the fury rolled out of her in waves of hatred and pure rage, and Elide prayed to never be at the end of that fury.

 

“Tomorrow we’re going to your house to take your things, and I’m going to have a very nice conversation with your uncle.”

 

The smaller girl froze.

 

“No, please. You don’t know him, Manon. He would never let me go, he will hurt you, I can’t let that happen.” New tears started to flown down her cheeks and she sobbed. “I can’t let him hurt you. I can’t.”

 

“He’s not going to hurt me or you ever again. He will never lay a finger on you again.”

 

Elide just sobbed again and Manon looked at her like she had no idea what to do with her, fortunately Abraxos knew and curled on her lap. His black and soft fur warm against her skin. The brunet circled her arms around him and not much longer before sleep invaded her senses.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

The next day Elide woke with her back hurting, but this wasn’t new. She almost jumped out of her skin when a wet snout pressed against her cheek, the girl blinked in the morning sun to find Abraxos looking at her, the brunet smiled softly and caressed him behind the ears as the memories from last night came crashing back and she cringed.

 

“Morning.”

 

The girl looked up to find Manon leaning against the doorway in a patch of sunshine and felt as if her breath was knocked out of her. Her starlight hair was glowing in the soft, warm light, her golden eyes shining even more and her pale skin like hot honey. She was so beautiful that Elide’s chest hurt.

 

“Good morning.”

 

She had to look away, the other girl came and sat by her side on the couch.

 

“What time do you think it’s best to go grab your things?”

 

“Manon, you don’t have to, I…”

 

“You’re not going back there, Elide!”

 

There were dark circles under her eyes and Elide wondered if she slept this night at all. Her voice was soft when she asked.

 

“Where am I going to stay?”

 

“With me.”

 

“I can’t, I would never impose.”

 

“Do you have anywhere else to stay?”

 

“No.”

 

So this was the way Elide found herself walking beside Manon the steps for her uncle’s house, the house he took from her parents – from her, one last time. Vernon was upon her the moment Elide opened the door, she yelped and recoiled but before he could touch her Manon was between them, her long fingers wrapped around his throat and eyes burning with fury.

 

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

 

The silver haired girl slammed him against the wall with force enough to shake the house.

 

“Go grab your things, Elide.”

 

Elide’s legs trembled as she made her way up the stairs. It’s not that she didn’t trust Manon to take care of herself, but she worked so hard to keep her out of this. She entered her old room one last time, there was nothing there really, just a bed and a dresser, she just grabbed her clothes and some books, hurrying back when she heard a scream and the sound of things breaking.

 

Vernon was bloodied and panting when she finally reached the bottom of the stairs, Manon smiling viciously at him, he looked at her and the other girl growled.

 

“If you ever come near her again, I’ll rip your throat out.”

 

Blood was flowing down from the nails marks on his cheek and he was holding his arm as if it was broken. Elide had no doubt that Manon would kill him if they stayed there one more second.

 

“Manon.”

 

The brunet said lowly, Manon just stared at him for another moment before turning and storming out of the house after Elide.

 

 

 

***

 

 

Sometimes Elide wondered if she had died and gone to heaven. She would wake every day to sunshine shining through the window and without a bruise on her skin, Abraxos would come running inside her room and she would laugh and go make breakfast, because Manon would burn the whole house down rather than make anything eatable. They would go to school together and then Manon would wait for her shift to end at the coffee shop so they would walk home together. Home. Elide never had a home. Not since her parents died, not in a long time. The feeling of belonging somewhere was inexplicable, it was like a weight have been lifted out of her chest, a calm, warm living thing curling on her stomach; the feeling of being safe that Vernon would never touch her again.

 

Her birthday came and for the first time in years there was a party. All The Thirteen were there, singing and clapping, giving her gifts and showering her with the warmth of their friendship. When she blew the candles she didn’t make a wish, but thanked for everything that she had now. Later that night when it was just the two of them, Manon gave her a book on ancient tales and mythology, this time when Elide threw her arms around the taller girl’s neck Manon returned the hug.

 

Winter came and they would curl up on the couch with blankets and mugs of hot chocolate, Abraxos with them and watch movies all the night. Elide was just preparing herself to curl on the couch when a knock came from the door, Manon was putting extra marshmallows on their drinks so she was the one that opened the door, she didn’t know what to expect but not a tall, elegant woman with dark hair and depthless eyes.

 

“Can I help you?”

 

She looked Elide up and down before storming into the house without a word.

 

“Hey!”

 

Abraxos was growling on the couch and Manon had stopped by the kitchen door and was staring at the woman. No one said a word, Elide stood there watching them stare at each other and she suddenly felt extreme inappropriate, like she shouldn’t be there, like she didn’t belong and she hated that woman for making her feeling this way, not now when she had a place where she felt safe and wanted, not now when she belonged to someone. Finally the silver haired girl put the mugs on the table behind her and greeted the woman.

 

“Grandmother.”

 

The woman, Manon’s grandmother, didn’t say a word, she just stared at her granddaughter with a coldness that made Elide wish that she could grab Manon’s hand.

 

“So, this is where you’re hiding this time. Your taste is terrible and I see that you’re still keeping this thing.”

 

She motioned at Abraxos and the dog growled at her again, Manon kept her eyes on the woman as she walked to her granddaughter.

 

“You could have been my heir, could have lead the family business, but no, you had to choose what you think it’s right.” She spat the last words at Manon’s face and the girl just stared at her. “You’re nothing more than a disappointment!”

 

Elide was on the other side of the room and putting herself in front of the silver haired girl before anyone could say anything.

 

“I think you should go.”

 

The woman looked Elide from head to toe like she was nothing more than dirty on her shoes, probably she was. Manon held her arm and tried to push her behind herself but Elide wouldn’t move. Rage was flaring on her veins. _How dare she?_ To just come inside their house and say these things to Manon? For the first time in her life Elide felt rage flowing through her veins.

 

“You always had a soft spot for little broken things, Manon.”

 

The taller girl hissed.

 

“Get out.”

 

Her grandmother just smiled and calmly walked out of their house. Elide turned to look at Manon that was still staring at the closed door.

 

“Are you ok?”

 

It took Manon a moment to finally turn at her but she nodded and grabbed their mugs.

 

“Yeah.”

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

_She couldn’t breathe, there were black spots on her vision as Vernon slammed her against the wall again and again._

_“You thought I wouldn’t find you?” A hit to her cheek. “You thought that you could hide from me?” Another slam against the wall._

_From the corner of her vision she could see Manon on the ground, blood on her fair hair._

_“After I finish with you, I’m going to break bone by bone of that bitch’s body.”_

_“Please.”_

_Elide managed to say. Not Manon. Please. Not Manon._

 

She sat up on bed weeping and begging, Manon was sitting beside her with haunted eyes and before Elide could really think about this, she had crawled on her lap and buried her face on the silk and starlight of Manon’s hair. The other girl didn’t move for a moment before she circled her arms around Elide’s shaking body and hold her. The smell of iron, forest and storm invaded her senses. _Manon is here. She’s safe and sound. He’s not going to hurt her. She’s strong, God she’s so strong._ Elide knew that she could defend herself, that she was most likely to break all of Vernon’s body before he could hit her, but this fact didn’t stop her from worrying and driving herself nuts everyday thinking that he would do something to her. She was jumpy, always looking at the shadows or jumping at the smallest sound. Manon would give her sideways looks but she didn’t comment, the brunet wouldn’t say anything anyway, she knew that Manon was capable of killing Vernon just for her sake, and even she admitting that it would make her sleep better at night, she wouldn’t let Manon put her life at risk.

 

It took almost half an hour or maybe an entire night for Elide to stop weeping, all the time Manon kept running her slender fingers through her dark hair. She was warm and safe and Elide could stay just like this her entire life. Her foolish heart jumping happily for being so close to her. Elide tried to keep herself at control, but when Manon was holding her this way, it was really easy to imagine that she loved Elide back.

 

“Sorry.” Her voice failed and she tried again. “Sorry for waking you.”

 

“Don’t apologize. Nightmare?”

 

Elide nodded.

 

“Want to talk about it?”

 

The image of Manon on the ground and Vernon’s words made her start to shake again and she shook her head.

 

“Ok.”

 

Manon moved them till she was leaning against the headboard and started to tell Elide ancient tales, her hand never stopping the caress on her hair and sometimes the brunet would swear that she felt lips against her forehead and the crow of her head. In every breath Elide felt like she was saying: _Thank you, thank you, thank you._

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

Elide had just sat at her place beside Asterin on their Biology class when the golden haired girl said:

 

“It’s Manon’s birthday in a few days.”

 

Elide lowered her head to the table.

 

“I know, I have no idea what to give her.”

 

“You know, I don’t think you need to give her anything.”

 

Elide looked at Asterin from the corner of her eye.

 

“Why?”

 

The girl gave her a big Cheshire smile.

 

“I’ve never seen my cousin so happy, I think happiness is the best thing you could give her.”

 

The brunet sat straight, her heart beating against her temples.

 

“I’m not the only one… You too make her happy. It’s not, it’s not just me.”

 

She stuttered, Asterin gave her another smile but didn’t say anything more as the teacher walked inside the class.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

Elide had heard about Manon’s parties before, in one word, they were wild, she had no idea how she ended up here, friend of The Thirteen and laughing with Asterin’s arm around her shoulders and Manon at her other side, music was blasting and people were dancing and drinking, and it was hot as hell. Disentangling herself from Asterin, Elide made her way up the stairs till the rooftop and took a deep breath of fresh air, with closed eyes she let her body move slowly at the rhythm of the music that was playing down there, she would never let herself do this with all of those people looking at her, but here, with the night and the wind enveloping her she would let herself move free for a few minutes.

 

She could feel the wind against her face and whispering nonsenses on her ears, could feel the moonlight shining on her pale skin and the night enveloping her completely. She was a night being here. Wild and free. She never felt this way before and so she twirled and twirled till her lungs were burning and her body hot.

 

When she opened her eyes again, Manon was leaning against the doorframe and watching her with a small smile, she felt her cheeks burn.

 

“What… Why you didn’t tell me you were there?”

 

“Because you would stop.” Manon straightened herself and walked slowly till she was standing in front of Elide. “I like to watch you dancing.”

 

Elide ducked her head.

 

“There’s nothing to like.”

 

“There is.” Manon lifted her head with one finger under her chin, that golden eyes staring right into Elide’s. “I heard the mixtape you gave me.”

 

The mixtape she made for Manon with all the songs that made she think about her. Elide swallowed and tried to look away but she was trapped on Manon’s stare, she was so, so close.

 

“I got the message.”

 

She took a step closer and the brunet stopped breathing, she could feel the silver haired girl’s breathe caressing her cheeks, and she closed her eyes for a moment, leaning her face on the hand that now cupped her cheek.

 

“What message?”

 

Her voice was nothing more than a whisper.

 

“This.”

 

Manon murmured before touching her lips to Elide’s. Her brain short circuited and the entire world faded into dust and fireworks. Manon’s lips were soft and warm against hers, she had never kissed before but she didn’t think that you should feel like the world was crumpling and rising again with a total new shape, didn’t think that just the touch of another person lips should make you feel like you could die and you would be smiling. The taller girl’s other hand was at Elide’s waist, pressing her more against her, the brunet whimpered and it was enough for Manon to deepen the kiss. She tasted like mint and home, her smell shutting down all of Elide’s senses till all she could focus on was Manon and the feeling of her body against Elide’s. Manon’s tongue was running gently against her, asking for permission to invade Elide’s mouth, not to take but to give, to give her everything that she’d never know she needed or wanted, to give her all the safety and belonging that she’d been so starved her entire life, and Elide gave her everything she had in return. Each time their lips touched the brunet felt like she was saying: _I love you, I love you_ and Manon’s answering: _Me too, me too._

 

“I knew it!”

 

Came Asterin’s voice from somewhere accompanied of a flash. The silver haired girl lifted her head to glare at The Thirteen that were squeezing themselves to fit on the doorframe.

 

“I’m going to kill you, Asterin!”

 

Elide hid her face further into Manon’s neck and the taller girl turned them away from The Thirteen’s prying eyes, she kissed Elide’s temple before whispering:

 

“Want to continue this somewhere where no one will interrupt us?”

 

Elide looked up inside the living embers of Manon’s eyes and smiled before nodding. Manon was a falling star but now Elide was one too.


End file.
